In view of recent events regarding dog attacks on children, and the tragic death of a 2-year-old California boy who got attacked and killed by 5 pit bull terriers, we have found this study which links dog bite attacks on children and warm weather.

The study comes from the the State University of NY at Buffalo, and the Children Hospital of Buffalo, and its findings note a spike in dog attacks on children (0-19 years) during the summer months. Researchers noted that dog bites increased as the weather warmed.

In addition, according to the study, 34% of dog bites were to the cheeks of children, 21% to the lips, and about 20% to the nose and ears. The average age of injured children was six years.

Most children suffered more than one facial wound – about 64% of the victims. Another great number, 40% of the total injuries had to be repaired in the operating room under general anesthesia.

Also, pit bulls were the breed that was most commonly cited in the attacks, which comes as no surprise since pit bulls have been notorious for ages.  About 27% of the injuries came from a family pet, the study showed.

“A dog is man’s best friend, but could be a child’s worst companion,” says Philomena M. Behar, M.D., UB clinical assistant professor of otolaryngology and the study’s corresponding author.

On a good note, at least the attacked children were treated with excellent care. Researchers found that wound healing was excellent even in cases with contaminated wounds, and that infections were not frequent.

Researchers evaluated 84 cases of dog bites in children over an 8-year period. The study was published in the Journal of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery (Vol.140, pp. 354-357).

More information about dog bite attacks and the different laws regarding dogs can be found here.

Source: NY State University at Buffalo.

In a gruesome tragedy a 2-year-old boy was mauled to death by 5 pit bull terriers at his family home in Concord, California. 

The little boy, Jacob Bisbee, innocently opened the garage door at his family’s 4-bedroom house when in a blink of an eye he was attacked by the pack of dogs. Jacob suffered severe injuries from multiple dog bites. His condition was so critical that he was pronounced dead in the hospital.

The pit bulls belonged to Jacob’s grandfather Steven Hayashi, 52, who was not at home at the time. Nobody knew what prompted the dogs to attack, police said. Hayashi has since been arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and owning dangerous animals.

All five of dogs were put down by Contra Costa County Animal Services, news reports said.

Owning a dog breed like pit bull terriers around small children is a very dangerous combination. All dogs can get an urge to attack humans when provoked, but pit bulls are especially notorious when it comes to jumping on small children. There are many laws in different states that prohibit or limit dog owners from having pit bull type of dogs as pets.

Getting bitten by a dog is the fifth most frequent cause of visits to emergency rooms in children. Just last week a 7-year-old Massachusetts girl was attacked by a dog during a cookout. The dog, a Corgi breed, bit the child’s calf inflicting puncture wounds.

In a more serious case, a 5-year-old child was killed in a dog attack in Lincoln Park, MI on July 12 by one or two dogs belonging to his mother’s live-in boyfriend.

Dog bites are a very widespread problem in the nation. According to the report of American Veterinary Medical Association, 2.8 million children are bitten by dogs every year. What’s more, some dog bite prevention experts estimate that half of all children will suffer a dog bite by the age of 12.

Little Jacob Bisbee’s death is a sober warning to all parents to keep a close eye on toddlers when vicious dogs are around.

If your children are bite by a dog or suffering the pain caused by dog attack, you could turn to an experienced personal injury lawyer like Thomas M. Kiley for help.

Sources: Sky News, East Bay RI.

A 5-year-old boy was found dead in his home in Lincoln Park close to Detroit three days ago on July 12. Police believe that the little boy has been mauled to death by a dog (or dogs).

The boy’s mother called the police the morning of July 12 saying she found her son dead in an upstairs bedroom. The last time she saw the boy alove was when she put him to bed around 10:30-11 p.m. the previous night (Sunday). According to the police, the boy died several hours before they arrived from wounds police described as “significant.”

They said the child was apparently “attacked by an animal.”

It is presumed that the animal in question is one or two of the dogs that lived with the boy’s family – a 35-pound Labrador mix and a 90-pound male dog described by the owner as a husky/German shepherd mix (which some people describe as a wolf breed). Both dogs, which belong to the live-in boyfriend of the boy’s mother, were taken away by the authorities.

Police do not think the boy’s death was a homicide. An autopsy was performed on Tuesday to determine the cause of death, and the results are pending. The truth will be revealed after the autopsy.

Dogs are popular pets for their loyalty, companionship and protection. However, even the most peaceful dogs can be very aggressive sometimes. Always keep in mind that dogs will bite when provoked.

According to health officials, dogs bite or attack more than 4.5 million people each year, killing an average of 20 people.

Young children are often the most vulnerable to these attacks. The related research from the centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that half of all children are bitten by dogs at some point, and half of those attacks occur at home with a familiar dog. So parents should always be careful about their children playing with dogs at home. If a dog-bite accident happens, see a doctor as soon as possible or dial 911.

In addition, turning to an experienced child injury lawyer for help is always a good choice.

News Sources: The Detroit News, CNN

Trained dogs, such as K-9 police dogs, are great police helpers when it comes to searching for drugs or other illegal substances at airports and other locations. However, they are still dogs with animal instincts which can bite when provoked.

A 13-year-old girl, Frances Burke-Bevis, from Concord, NH was bitten by such a dog, a K-9 last Thursday, as she was walking her own dog while police were searching the area for drugs.

The Concord Monitor reported that the canine in question, a New Hampshire State Police dog (a German shepherd), was brought to Warren Street in Concord for a drug search. The dog was not on a leash. The K-9 attacked the girl’s black Lab mix dog, and as she tried to stop the attack, the K-9 bit her left hand sending the girl to the hospital.

Fortunately, a woman who had been yelling at the German shepherd to heel got hold of its collar, Frances said.

The police dog was brought to the area on Thursday after a car crashed into a telephone pole at Warren Street near Holt Street and the police suspected drugs were involved.

There were no additional information from the police about why the police dog was not on a leash when it attacked the girl.

According to the American Kennel Club, the German Shepherd is hailed as the world’s leading police, guard and military dog, and one of the most popular dogs in America, however they have a reputation for biting, so it’s no wonder they have been banned in some jurisdictions as a result.

To read about how you can protect your children from dog bites, please see our previous post.

Loyal and adorable as they are, dogs can still be a dangerous threat to people, especially children between the ages 5 and 9.

Dog bites are pretty common in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year. One in five of every dog bite results in injuries (approximately 885,000 reported cases).

One way to protect your child from a dog attack, if you are planning to get a dog for a pet, is to choose the dog breed carefully. Even though any dog can attack when provoked (they are animals after all), some dogs are more prone to dog bites than others.

Good things to keep in mind when choosing a dog are:

• Spay/neuter your dog to reduce aggressiveness
• Look for non-aggressive breeds like spaniels, retirevers, and others.
• Ask a veterinarian to help you select the breed right breed
• Spend some time with the breed variety you are considering
• Avoid breeds notorious for biting children (such as, Chihuahuas)
• Properly socialize the dog with the family once you get it
• Train your dog so it responds to basic commands

Dog Bites and Child Safety

Teach your child to react properly not just to your pet dog, but also to a stranger’s dog, or a stray dog if they ever come in contact with one. Stray dogs are more apt to bite since they may be frightened or unfamiliar with the child.

The CDC advices:

• Don’t approach an unfamiliar dog
• Don’t run from the dog or scream
• Remain motionless when approached by an unfamiliar dog
• Avoid direct eye contact with the dog
• Don’t pet the dog without letting it see and sniff you first
• Don’t play with a dog without adult supervision
• If knocked over by a dog, roll into a ball and remain still
• Don’t disturb a dog that is eating, sleeping, or caring for puppies
• Ask the owner for permission to pet the dog
• Pet the dog in the direction of his/her fur
• Report all stray dogs to an adult

Dog Bite Treatment

If your child has been bitten by a dog and the skin has been broken, seek medical treatment to ensure the wound is properly cared for and treated. Additionally, make sure you get the contact information of the owners of the dog. Also, it doesn’t hurt to have the number of an experienced personal injury attorney like Thomas M. Kiley from the Kiley Law Group, LLP – - – Call for a FREE Consulation:  1-800-410-2769.

Dogs are amazing pets: playful, loyal, affectionate, man’s best friend. They are every child’s wish. Yet, parents should always keep in mind that dogs are first of all, animals, and they have animal instincts.

When provoked dogs can attack humans, even children, like in the case of a 5-year-old little boy that was attacked by an American Bulldog in Lakeville, MA, last week.

Local police responded to a call at the boy’s home after he was bitten by the dog. The dog’s owner, Karen Bruno O’Leary, 39, was babysitting the boy, and said that they were playing with the dog when it snapped, biting the boy in the face. The dog next turned on O’Leary, while the boy escaped outdoors.

The boy’s father, Kevin Lizotte, said, that O’Leary “took the brunt of it. If it wasn’t for her, he’d probably be dead,” NECN reports.

The boy was familiar with the dog before the incident, and the dog never showed aggression.

Both victims of this dog attach were injured. O’Leary was treated at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston for arm injuries, while the 5-year-old was airlifted by MedFlight to Children’s Hospital in Boston with face injuries.

Lizotte said, “There was a big chunk taken out, but there skin was actually underneath, so the plastic surgeon was able to put it back and reattach it.” Luckily, the dog did not get to the boy’s nerve and saliva gland. The boy was also bitten on the back of his neck, behind his ear, and on his hand. “It’s just a horrible feeling to be a father and see your son look like that,” Lizotte said.

Dog bites are a major problem in the United States, as over 4 million people are bitten every year. Children tend to make up the largest percentage of dog bite victims and they most often sustain the worst dog bite injuries. A child’s trusting nature is one of the reasons they are hurt the most in dog attacks. Most children are not afraid of dogs and do not hesitate to try and pet a canine. They are also not able to read the warning signs that a dog will give letting the victim know of an impending attack.

In this case, the aggressive bulldog was put down, as it also attacked the police. They said it took nine bullets to kill it after it turned on them.

The boy’s family will not press charges against the dog owner. In fact, they are grateful to O’Leary that she stepped in and saved the little boy’s life.

We wish both victims a speedy recovery.

To find more information on American Bulldogs, please click here.